Red Bull Cliff Diving cancels 2020 World Series and focuses on 2021 season

In the light of health concerns and advice from the authorities, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series season has been suspended for 2020. We trust that this decision will be understood and respected by everyone.

All efforts and energy are focused on an outstanding 2021 season, when elite divers as well as young up-and-coming talent will once again wow the crowds with their breathtaking free-falls from up to 27m.

We remain hopeful of staging a standalone event in Australia in appreciation of our loyal fans and to grant the planet's finest divers a chance to showcase their supreme acrobatic skills.

Red Bull Australia are doing everything they can to be prepared to host the event in Sydney, November 2020. The safety of the public, the divers, the crew and all others involved is the number one priority and, along with government advice, will ultimately determine the possibility of doing so closer to the date.

Athletes representing 18 different nations, including reigning champions Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) and Gary Hunt (FRA), will lead the world's oldest extreme sport to new heights in 2021, as the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series returns stronger and ready to inspire fans around the world again.

With a dominant 30 point win Australia's Rhiannan Iffland was the pinnacle of perfection in the women's competition when the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series debuted in Ireland's Dún Laoghaire Harbour. Canada's Lysanne Richard took her second podium this season while Adriana Jimenez of Mexico completed the top three. Constantin Popovici, Olympic diver from Romania, earned the top score from the jury and put an end to Gary Hunt's (GBR) winning streak from the 27m platform in one of the closest results to date. America's David Colturi placed third in an event held with an adjusted format due to cold water.

It was the immaculate execution of his final round dive, an inward 4 somersault half twist pike, that earned the 30-year-old his first ever 10 in the World Series, becoming the 14th man to win an event. Following the Romanian's second place at the season opener in the Philippines, World Series record winner Gary Hunt expects a very tight race for the 2019 King Kahekili Trophy. The 'brilliant Brit' fell short of his 36th win today by just 1.85 points, however he distanced himself from Colturi in third place by 78.6 points in the chilly conditions in Dublin Bay.

From the 21m platform in the women's category, 27-year-old Iffland extended her five point day one lead over her nearest rival from Canada to an impressive back-to-back win in Ireland, after winning the season opener in the Philippines earlier this year as well as the women's debut in Inis Mór in 2017.

In front of 85,000 fans gathered on the pier on Sunday, Richard kept her title hopes alive by making it two podiums in a row while 2018 runner-up Jimenez defied the wind to secure her ninth career podium.After a weekend at the season's most northerly and newest location in Ireland the cliff diving elite will travel to the sport's European home in Polignano a Mare, Italy. In the town where houses rise from the rocks, the athletes will dive from a private rooftop terrace in just three weeks'.

A strong podium here in Ireland. You can expect to see at least one of these competitors standing on the podium again this season. Photo: Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool